Interchangeable heel and shank reinforcer



Dec. 30, 1941. H, H KIDDER 2,267,926

I'NTERCHANGEABLE HEEL AND SHANK REINFORCER Filed Nov. 8, 19 39 Patented Dec. 30, 1941 Y INTERCHANGEABLE HEEL AND SHAN REINEORCER Harry H. Kidder, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 8, 1939, Serial No. 303,489

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in attachable, detachable, interchangeable shoe heels which provides a means whereby the heels may be quickly and easily connected to the shoe.

Many types of shoes out upon lines of grace and beauty appeal to the wearers artistic taste but present heels that are too high or too low for the comfort of the wearer and for this reason are rejected by said wearer. By a quick change of heels the merchant will be able to meet the requirements of the buyer. Again the wearer may find the color of her shoes does not harmonize with her frock but by changing the color of her heels they may appear quite acceptable. A high heel may change the appearance of a shoe having a low heel, or a low heel may be used to give comfort to the foot not built for the high heel.

An object of the invention is to provide an interchangeable shoe heel with means whereby the heel may be quickly and easily attached or detached and at the same time form a rigid immovable connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the wearer may be correctly and comfortably heeled at all hours of day or evening, as this device is designed to be used on all types of heels.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the wearer may change from one type or one color of heel to another type or color of heel to harmonize with her costume. Heels may be high or low and of any type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an interchangeable heel having an attachable means whereby the shank of the shoe may be strengthened, the heel connection made rigid and secure and the shoe given firmness and feeling of a new shoe, without limiting the shape and size of the heel plate, but providing a plate to extend across the entire heel or across the center section of the heel at the top-being directly above the heel base, or in any one of a great variety of ways to hold the connecting means.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 shows the upper surface of the heelplate with the tongues laid flat. Dots show lighter narrow plate.

Figure 2 shows a cross-section from front to back and shows the cavity or cup, and across the cup the rods which carry the tongueswith tongues laid flat-and in dotted lines the tongues 55 are shown in an erect position ready for insertion into shoe plate.

Figure 3 shows shoe-plate with two slots through which the tongues are threaded, and

5 suggested securing means.

Figure 4 shows heel plate with tongues removed, the rods, the cup and the screw which secures the plate to the heel.

Figure 5 illustrates a cross-section of the heel- 10 plate side to side, the rod, and the extension of the plate downward along the sides of the heel, the cup and a securing means.

Figure 6 is the same as Fig. 5 but with dotted lines to indicate the opening for the rods when 15 made separate from plate and secured within the opening by a screw which closes the opening.

Figure 7 shows the tongue, the shank, the

sleeve and the rod. Figure 8 shows the inner surface of the downwardly extended sides, with ridge which may lay in any direction or none.

Figure 9 is a cross-section of-the lightest weight plate and shows construction of the same. Dotted lines in Fig. 1 show the width of this plate 25 from front to back.

For convenience the hollow portion across which the rods extend will be called a cup or cup portion.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views and the heel-plate in Figure 1 is indicated by numeral l and will be so designated throughout, the wooden heel 1, the tongues 4 and 5, the rods as 2 and 3, the cup portion of the plate as 6, the screw or nail in cup floor 8,-the downwardly extended sides of plate I as I, side screws or nails 9, ridge on inner surface of side of plate as 20, the tongue shank II, the tongue sleeve ID, the shoe plate M, the slots therein l5, and the suggested holes or otherwise the nail-like projections on undersurface of plate 14 as [6.

In Figure 1, the heel plate I made of metal, as light in weight as is consistent with safety,

consists of the heel-plate portion which extends across the upper portion of the heel 1 and continues downward along the center side surfaces of the heel, said sides of plate I being made in one with plate and may or may not have a ridge 5o 20 in center, which ridge fits securely into a groove along the side of heel where a means 9 secures this side extension to the heel. In the center of the plat-e I. is a hollow portion 6 which is of sufficient depth and strength to carry the rods 2 and 3 about which the tongue sleeves I 0 rotate. This cup portion is securely fastened to the heel within a cavity prepared to receive it by means of a screw or nail 8 at center.

The rods 2 and 3 extending from side to side of cup portion being positioned one towards the front and one towards the back to give a wider base connection, said rods being made in one with the plate, or made separate and inserted into openings l9 prepared for them in plate I as shown in Figure 6, and secured in position by means which closes the opening at the end. These rods carry the connecting means herein called tongues as shown in Figure 2, where we see the tongues in dotted lines in an upright position ready to be inserted into the slots H: in plate It and also the tongues 4, 5 in horizontal position as they lay within the shoe. When these tongues are of suificient length they serve as additional shank pieces to strengthen the shank of the shoe, giving one a feeling of greater security under foot. These tongues are wider over the plate to give wider base connection. When the rods are made separate the opening I9 in plate I shown in dotted lines in Figure 6 will extend from one edge of plate to a point near the opposite edge. The open end will be provided with threads to receive a screw which will hold the rod firmly in place.

In Figure 3 is seen dotted circles 16 to represent either holes through the: plate [4 or naillike extensions on the under surface of platesuggested as securing means to fasten shoe plate to sole-within the shoe at heel, and in Figure 4. ll suggests holes for the possible reception of the nail-like extension l6, if that securing means is used, otherwise the holes in plate I are not necessary The heel plate will be made of durable metal, of a lightness which will add no appreciable weight to the heel The tongues will be made of metal, light but durable as will the shoe-plate.

Over the shoe-plate within the shoe will be a soft heel pad and the usual insole.

When attaching the heel to the shoe one finds the process very simple. Having the heel-in hand, with one movement raise the tongues to upright position, right angles to heel-now thread the tongues-from the outside, through the slots which are in the heel of the shoe, lay the tongues fiat and cover over with the leather insole and the shoe isv ready to ,wear with the heel held in close engagement with the shoe to form a firm, rigid heel. For detaching reverse the process.

The herein described preferred embodiment is not designed to limit the form and construc tion of the invention since the heel-plate may be modified and varied in a number of ways to carry the connecting means as may the shoe plate but this embodiment is preferred because all parts cooperate to make a safe, rigid connection between the heel and the shoe, and the inventor reserves the right to vary the form and/or construction as may seem meet and proper, necessary or convenient to carry out the objects and purposes of the invention, within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In an interchangeable heel, a a heel and a heel plate having moveable tongues as connecting means to hold heel and shoe in close engagement.

2. In an interchangeable heel, a shoe plate having slots, a heel, and a heel plate having moveable tongues as connecting means whereby shoe plate,

the heel is held in close engagement with the shoe.

3. In an interchangeable heel, a metal shoe plate shaped to conform to contour of heel and having slots, a heel and a metal heel plate having moveable connecting means.

4. In an interchangeable heel, a metal shoe plate shaped to conform to contour of heel and having means to attach the plate to inside of heel seat and slots, a heel, a heel-plate having movable tongues as connecting means.

5. In an interchangeable heel, a metal shoe plate shaped to conform to contour of heel and having securing means for attaching plate to heel sole, and slots, a heel, a heel plate across the heel and extending down the side surfaces of heel where they are secured to heel by screws or nails and a moveable connecting means which holds heel plate in close engagement with shoe.

6. In an interchangeable heel, a shoe plate,

a heel, and a heel plate extending across the heel, having a cup-like portion which is attached to heel by means of a screw .or nail and connecting means which cooperates to lock heel to shoe.

7. In an interchangeable heel and arch reenforcer, a shaped shoe plate having slots and securing means, a heel plate, having a cup across which extend rods carrying movable means of connection, said plate having sides along the side of heel and thereto secured, said tongue sleeve embracing the rods in their length, said tongues being the length of the shoe shank, and a heel.

8. In an interchangeable heel and shank reenforcer, a shaped metal shoe-plate having two slots to receive the tongues, and securing means, a shaped heel plate with downward extending sides, a cup across which two rods extend carrying the two tongues or connecting means, said tongues having a shank portion and a sleeve portionwhich embraces the rod in their length and revolves about the rods to provide a flexible connection, said tongues providing re-enforcement to the shank of the shoe, and a heel.

9. In an interchangeable heel, a shoe plate, a heel, and a heel plate having downwardly extended sides with means for securing same to heel, a cup-like center portion carrying the connecting means, said cup being secured to heel.

10. In an interchangeable heel, a thin, durable metal shoe-plate having slots, a heel, a thin durable metal heel-plate shaped to the contour of the under surface of heel seat, a cup across which extend rods carrying tongues or connecting means for engaging heels to shoes.

11. In an interchangeable heel, a shoe plate shaped to conform to the contour of heel seat, having slots, and a heel plate with a cup across which extend rods carrying the connecting means, said plate extending down sides of heel and secured thereto, and tongues having a shank portion and a sleeve portion, and a heel.

12. In an interchangeable heel and shank reenforcer a shaped shoe plate having slots and securing means, a heel plate, having a cup across which extend rods about which the tongue sleeves revolve to provide flexible connecting means, said tongues providing rcenforcement for the shank of the shoe, and heel.

13. In an interchangeable heel and shank reenforcer a shaped shoe plate having slots and a securing means, a heel, and a heel plate having a cup across which extend rods carrying movable tongues as means of connection, said tongues having sleeves embracing the rods in their length, to give broad base connection between heel and shoe, to make firm and rigid said connection.

14. In an interchangeable heel and shank reenforcer, a shaped metal shoe plate having slots, and a securing means, a heel, a heel plate shaped to contour of the under surface of the heel seat having downward extending sides secured to the heel, said heel plate being secured to the heel, to make firm and rigid the heel-plate to heel connection.

15. In an interchangeable heel and shank reenforcer, a shaped metal shoe plate having two slots, through which the tongues are inserted when attaching, and a securing means, a heel, and a heel plate shaped to fit heel seat of the shoe, having downward extending sides and a cup across which extend two rods, one at the front edge and one at the back edge, which rods carry two tongues, the sleeves of which revolve about (or around) the rods to provide a flexible means of connection between the heel and the shoe, said two tongues to engage the heel to the shoe, to form rigid, firm connection and to reenforce the shank.

HARRY H. ICEDDER. 

